When a student steps onto Auburn’s campus, they may notice that athletics rule over the campus. Although the environment may not be the primary reason behind someone’s choice of Auburn, it’s an avenue they could experience.
Start at Jordan-Hare Stadium, where Auburn fans alike come together to watch their favorite team on the Plains. From the eagles flying onto midfield, the stadium roars and the presentation on the video board, the environment the stadium encapsulates is unlike anything on Auburn’s campus.
The Tigers in 2022 finished with a 5-7 record, but with a brighter future as newly hired head coach Hugh Freeze brought in the No.18 ranked recruiting class according to 247Sports.
2023 will bring an electrifying environment with the buzz around the football team. The experience of Auburn football can be a place where you meet new people with a common enjoyment or a great time to hang out with friends.
However, if football is not a student’s thing, then there are plenty of other opportunities Auburn offers for them to experience. The student tickets for these sports are free and offer an experience that is enjoyable for numerous of the Auburn student body. Due to the nature of these free tickets, students can experience environments such as Neville Arena and Plainsman Park without much financial hassle.
Neville Arena, or “The Jungle,” creates a buzz every year under charismatic head coach Bruce Pearl. Last season, the Tigers made it to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time. The Jungle is always filled with an electric environment as students fill the arena to cheer on the team. This energetic environment provides another opportunity to support Auburn sports.
After making it to the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers fell to Houston in the Round of 32. However, Pearl and the Tigers are looking forward to the 2023-24 season.
Another sport students can catch during the fall is Auburn soccer. Last season, the Tigers finished 6-6-6 across the board and narrowly lost to No. 1 Alabama to end the year. Even though the season did not turn out as expected as this would be the first season Auburn missed the SEC Tournament since 2000. Positive outlooks should be expected as the Tigers aim to bounce back in 2023.
Attending baseball games at Plainsman Park offers some of the more peaceful sporting environments on campus and one of the best sunsets to observe. These peaceful conditions are enjoyable for many, whether in the stands, sitting in the outfield or even watching from above on the parking deck.
Softball offers some of the same opportunities over at Jane B. Moore Field. Furthermore, this gives an opportunity to support female athletes. The Tigers have been ranked in the top 25 for most of the 2023 season. Not to mention, Jane B. Moore Field is within walking distance from campus. These culminations offer ample chances to watch these female athletes play.
Gymnastics and volleyball offer further opportunities inside of Neville Arena, with a similar buzz around these female athletes. Auburn gymnastics has been one of the top teams in the nation thanks to the leadership of Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee and others. Auburn concluded the season ranked No.12 after its fall in the NCAA tournament, but a bright future will come with incoming and talented women filling the reigns of Lee.
The Auburn volleyball team finished 22-9, the most wins from the volleyball program in rally-point history. The Tigers made it to the NCAA Tournament and won their first round matchup against Creighton but fell to Houston in the next round. Akasha Anderson, Fallan Lanham and others will lead the Tigers into the 2023 season.
Even though golf, equestrian and tennis are further off campus, these opportunities cannot be missed. These offer chances to come across pieces of Auburn one may not have the opportunity to otherwise.
Equestrian concluded the season by winning its fifth straight SEC Championship. The women finished No. 2 in the polls as they fell to No.1 SMU in the NCEA Championship. Their meets are right down Wire Road, which is only a five-minute drive from campus. There will be plenty of opportunities to watch one of Auburn’s top programs compete.
Both the men’s and women’s golf programs have successfully made it to the SEC and NCAA tournaments for multiple years throughout the program’s history. Even though golf’s rules may be complicated to understand, taking the drive to witness these successful teams will be all worth it.
Auburn sports offer a history of tradition in success, no matter what avenue one chooses to experience them in. Whether it’s inside Jordan-Hare Stadium with other adrenaline-filled Auburn students, in The Jungle watching numerous sports or in the peaceful areas such as Plainsman Park or Jane B. Moore field, these sporting events offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for an incoming Auburn student.
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Chandler McDougal is a graduate student from Tuscaloosa, Alabama majoring in communication and journalism.
